This invention relates to a floor mat device, and more particularly to a floor mat for performing an audible message upon a person stepping thereon.
The use of electrical switches incorporated into floor mats is known. Various uses for such floor mats have been suggested such as for energizing lights, bells etc. as well as opening doors. Heretofore, such floor mat devices were interfaced with an externally displaced device such as a light, alarm or door opening mechanism. The interface required a physical connection between the external element and the switching mechanism in the mat proper. This necessity not only increased the expense of the device but also introduced additional labor costs needed to establish the interface. Also, in some cases the design of the physical interface itself, usually in the form of a hard wire or other type of current relaying device, degraded the aesthetics of the surrounding environment such as the doorway, entrance or other area in which the floor mat was to be used. Finally, the past floor mats were usually relatively complex in construction particularly as to the incorporation of the switching element utilized therein. Thus, it is desirable to have a cost-effective floor mat which avoids the above problems and defects.
In response thereto, we have invented a floor mat device incorporating a speech module which allows the user to record his/her own selectable message for playback upon a person stepping on the floor mat proper. The module may be either programmed with a user-selectable message or may contain a preprogrammed message such as "welcome,""good morning," etc. The module is releasably insertable into a mat housing which precludes the need to interface the mat with any external device. A speaker jack may be provided by which the message may be relayed to a displaced location via an external audio transducer in addition to the speech module speaker. The device is activated by pressure responsive switch mechanisms (two disclosed) which are easily constructed and embedded in the floor mat proper with minimum time, trouble and expense.
Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide a floor mat which plays back an audible message upon pressure being exerted thereon.
Another general object of this invention is to provide a floor mat, as aforesaid, which plays back an audible message upon a user stepping thereon.
A further object of this invention is to provide a floor mat, as aforesaid, by which playback of the audible message is controlled by a pressure responsive switch incorporated in the mat proper.
Another object of this invention is to provide a floor mat, as aforesaid, which has a housing thereon for containing a record and/or playback speech module with power supply and speaker therein.
A particular object of this invention is to provide a floor mat with housing, as aforesaid, which allows user access to the speech module therein, either in the form of a releasable or slidable housing panel.
Another particular object of this invention is to provide a floor mat with housing, as aforesaid, which protects the speech module from the weather.
A further particular object of this invention is to provide a floor mat with housing, as aforesaid, which allows various speech modules to be easily placed therein either from the top or underside of the housing.
Another object of this invention is to provide a floor mat with housing, as aforesaid, which allows the user to have a selectable access to the speech module so as to either record a message, replace the module or otherwise affect the speech module therein.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a floor mat with switch, as aforesaid, which is impervious to the weather.
A further object of this invention is to provide a floor mat, as aforesaid, which can play back either a user selectable or a pre-programmed message.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a floor mat, as aforesaid, which incorporates an activating switch of novel design for the speech module which is relatively simple to manufacture and easily incorporated into the floor mat proper.
Another object of this invention is to provide a floor mat with housing, as aforesaid, which reasonably protects the speech module from damage upon persons stepping thereon.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.